Highcliffe Castle Phase 7 - Landscaping Works

Highcliffe Castle is a Grade 1 Listed building, constructed in the early 1830s. The grounds incorporated both pre-existing landscape features which formed part of the earlier 1770s ‘Capability’ Brown landscape as well as a far more extensive area of open countryside to the west of the Castle, an area now known as Rothesay Park, and further west, Steamer Point Nature Reserve. The grounds are not listed on the Register of Parks and Gardens, but are still of major historic importance, and the trees in both Castle Gardens and Rothesay Park are covered by various Tree Preservation Orders. The works planned internally and externally will make the building more accessible and interesting to visitors.

This HLF funded scheme represents Phase 7 of a 10 phase project known as ‘The Phoenix Flies’. Though this phase of work comprises primarily a building, rather than a landscape, project, the landscape works are seen as being of equal significance and they are intended to form a strong foundation for further work in the future.

The castle is currently used as a Visitor Centre with permanent and changing exhibitions, wedding venue along with a wide range of events and functions. In recent years the castle and grounds have featured in television programmes including Mr Selfridge, Antiques Roadshow and Flog It amongst others.

The grounds immediately surrounding the castle comprise 14 acres consisting of access road, formal lawns, informal lawns an vista to the Isle of Wight, Parterre, woodland and car park. There are public conveniences in the public car park and leased out Tea Rooms operate in the Claretians Wing projecting from the east side of the main castle building.